Message

---

Thank God that the kingdom of heaven has been advancing up to now. It will be so until Jesus comes again. Nothing will be more precious than the kingdom of heaven in this world. May we be among forceful people who lay hold of the kingdom of heaven. In today’s passage Jesus speaks in three tones, rebuke, praise in prayer, and invitation. He severely denounces the unrepentant people; he praises God for his revelation upon his disciples; he invites all the weary and burdened to himself. He eagerly desires to give himself to all. May we listen to him. First, Jesus’ rebuke (20-24). In verses 20-24, Jesus denounces the triangle cities located at the northwest side of the Sea of Galilee, Korazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum. Jesus’ denouncing of these three cities is also written in Luke 10:13-15. Nothing is recorded in the gospels about what Jesus did in Korazin. Bethsaida, when we refer to Mark, is the place where Jesus sent his disciples after feeding the crowd of 5,000 (Mk 6:45), and later on healed a blind man there (Mk 8:22). Luke positioned Bethsaida as the actual place of Jesus’ feeding the 5,000 (Lk 9:10). According to John, Peter and Andrew and Philip were from the town of Bethsaida (Jn 1:44; 12:21). Capernaum is mentioned several times in Matthew’s gospel. After defeating the devil’s temptation in the desert of Jordan, Jesus went to Nazareth in Galilee and soon after he left Nazareth and went and lived in Capernaum (Mt 4:12,13). The Capernaum was considered the headquarters of Jesus’ Galilean ministry. In chapter 8:5-13, in Capernaum Jesus met a centurion who came to Jesus due to his paralyzed servant. Jesus healed the centurion’s ill servant just with a word as the centurion believed in the authority of Jesus’ word (Lk 7:1-10). In Mark 2:1-12 Jesus healed a paralytic who was brought to him being carried by four people to come to Jesus (Mk 2:1). On Sabbath he healed Peter’s mother-in-law and many sick people in that town. Jesus had performed most of his miracles in these cities, but except several miracles many other miracles were not written in the Bible. This is as John wrote at the end of his gospel, “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written” (Jn 21:25). Anyway, the people in these cities were privileged to see Jesus’ performing many miracles. But they only enjoyed the miracles with their eyes; their hearts did not respond. They were unrepentant. Jesus denounced them saying, “Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida!” The people of Capernaum even became proud, thinking that they would be lifted up to skies. They were like a fallen angel, Satan, who said in his heart, “I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God;… I will make myself like the Most High” (Isa 14:13,14). but God said, “…you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of pit” (Isa 14:15). Here Jesus said, “…you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No. you will go down to the depths.” Tyre and Sidon were located at the north of Galilee , in Gentile territory. In the Old Testament Tyre was built on a high land near the coast. So the city became proud of its natural defense and its wealth through good trade. But God punished the city (Zech 9:3,4; Isa 23:1,3). Historically, Tyre was destroyed at the conquest of Alexander the Great . Sodom was a representative of a sinful city and was destroy by burning sulfur from heaven (Ge 19:24,25). But Jesus said that if the miracles had been performed in these proud and sinful cities, they would have repented, and it would be more bearable on the day of judgment for these cities than the cities where he had performed most miracles. It was because the people of Korazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum remained unrepentant despite the spiritual privileges of being able to Jesus’ many miracles. Here we learn that privileges should be accompanied by responsibilities. Jesus said in Luke 12:48 says, “From everyone who has been give much, much will be demanded; and form the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” May God have mercy on us to be people who can bear God’s blessings with responsibility. Second, Jesus’ praise in prayer (25-27). Look at verses 25,26. “At that time Jesus said, ‘I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children…” What a sudden change from the severe censure to the praise to God! In Luke’s gospel this praise is written right after seventy-two disciples returning from the evangelistic journey with a victorious spirit. They were excited to report to Jesus that even the demons submitted to them in Jesus’ name. Then Jesus said, “…do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (Lk 10:20). At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,…” (Lk 10:21). Luke’s compilation seems to more understandable. But we can also understand that Matthew’s arrangement has a specific meaning. Jesus was happy and so thankful to God that amid people’s unrepentance and unbelieving, there were some like his disciples who repented and put their faith in Jesus and the Father who sent him. He said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.” Here we see how Jesus views those who reject the good news of the kingdom and those who accept it. The former seem to be strong in their willpower and rejection. The wise and learned can be proud of their human wisdom and learning. But with merely human knowledge no one can understand the things of God. No human being can grasp what belongs to God, unless God divulges it. Deuteronomy 29:29 says, “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.” The truly wise are those who humble themselves before God, recognizing human limitations. God’s revelation comes upon the humble. The humble seek God and his truth purely and earnestly. Humbleness and pureness and earnestness go together. Look at verse 27. “All things have been committed to me by my Father.” This is an amazing declaration. Just before Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth.” Lord of heaven and earth committed all things to Jesus. All things are all things except nothing. Now what matters is how to respond to the Son. Then how much blessed the disciples of Jesus are! Jesus continues to say, “No one knows the Son except the Father…” So when God sent his Son Jesus into this world, he was sending the Son into an alien world. When the Son made his public appearance, he looked very pathetic to the eyes of the people. He had not place to lay his head. He had no social position, just getting along with the tax collectors and sinners. All his friends seemed to be lowly people. He was even branded as a glutton and drunkard. Who could recognize this Jesus as the Son of God by just looking at his outward appearance? But in truth he was conceived by the Holy Spirit. He healed the sick. Demons were driven out at his command. He even raised the dead. He calmed the storm. His life, his words of teaching and his miracles testify that he is indeed the Son of God. At the time of trial, when the high priest said to Jesus, “…Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God” Jesus replied unambiguously, “Yes, it is as you say” (Mt 26:64). Finally through his resurrection from the dead he proved himself that he is the Son of God (Ro 1:4). Yet, accepting Jesus as the Son of God requires God’s revelation. When Peter made a confession, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,” Jesus said, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by men, but by my Father in heaven” (Mt 16:16,17). Human logic endlessly questions, “How can a man be the Son of God?”, or “How can God have a son?” The people with such questions are stuck there, remaining on a physical level. However, with God’s revelation spiritual understanding comes. And it is through the words of the Bible (Jn 5:39) and living by faith from first to last (Ro 1:17). Jesus continues, “and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” Jesus came to this world to reveal God the Father. John 1:18 says, “No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.” Jesus revealed God the Father as the Creator (Mt 19:4) and Lord of heaven and earth (Mt 11:25). Most sensationally he revealed God the Father as the heavenly Father of all those who believe in him. In the Old Testament no Jew called God Father personally. To Moslems it is unthinkable blasmphemy to call God Father. Calling God Father, Daddy is truly sensational and revelatory. No one else, but Jesus who alone knows God the Father revealed this. When he taught his disciples to pray, this was the first thing he mentioned. He said, “This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven…’” (Mt 6:9). Jesus taught that the heavenly Father hears the prayer of his children and is willing to give good gifts to them, much more than the earthly fathers to their children (Mt 7:9-11). The Father in heaven perfectly cares for his children living in this world (Mt 6:26; 10:30). Jesus also revealed that our heavenly Father forgives our sins. At the Last Supper, Jesus said to his disciples offering the cup, “This is my blood of the covenant for the forgiveness of sins” (Mt 26:28). Afterward at Gethsemane, he prayed again and again saying, “My Father…Yet not as I will, but as you will…may your will be done.” It was God’s will that the Son Jesus had to die on the cross and shed his blood for the forgiveness of man’s sins. In this way Jesus revealed that the heavenly Father forgives all our sins through his Son and truly loves us, and his love is sacrificial and redeeming. His love is true. At the same time he judges and can destroy both body and soul in hell (Mt 10:28). Yet, there are people who cannot believe the sacrificial atoning love of God who sacrificed his own Son on the cross. Also, there are many people who say, “If God is love, why are there so many tragedies in the world?”, or “How can a loving God put men in hell?” They have their own concept of God and try to cling to it no matter what. However, it is very important to believe in God the Father the Son Jesus revealed. And we can know God as much as Jesus revealed him to us. Jesus said, “No one knows the Father except the Son and those whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” This is Jesus’ heart desire that all people of the world may come to know the Father through his disciples to whom Jesus revealed the Father. He taught his disciples to pray, “Your kingdom come, you will be done on earth as it is in heaven” and said that the gospel of the kingdom would be preached to all nations. (Mt 24:14) For this he raised his disciples as kingdom gospel workers. Third, Jesus’ invitation (28-30). Look at verse 28. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” After rebuke and prayer, now Jesus invites all to himself, all the weary and burdened. This is so that he may give them rest. Some can say to others, “Come to me, and I will give you job” or “promotion” or “scholarship.” But who can invite all the weary and burdened to himself? The words “weary” and “burdened” well express the condition of the people of the world. They are weary and burdened beneath life’s crushing load. I heard about some young people who broke up with their boyfriend or girlfriend. To them, this is like the end of the world. Afterward some have guilty feelings; some hate their former companions. One old widowed mother had her son with intellectual disabilities to be raised in a group home for many years. She regularly visits to feed him with hot meals on weekends. Now even her adult daughter suffers from physical pain and depression. The widowed mother had to take up the suffering daughter too. The mother cried, saying, “This is too much.” One man grew up under good parents and was very kind to the people around me. He remarried and had two beautiful daughters. The family seemed to be a nice family in God’s blessing. Twelve years later, we met by chance. He came to me and said, “This is my new family,” showing his new young wife and two babies. At that moment I really felt that life is hard and burdensome. Most of U of T students are weary and burdened because of overwhelming school study. Broken family situation is heart-breaking to many students. Evil spirit torments people in fear and anxiety. How can we describe the life condition of all the weary and burdened? Jesus once said that they were harassed and helpless. How can the people of the world have rest? As our body needs rest, our soul needs rest. Without rest in our souls, life can break down at any moment. While driving, I often listen to Toronto radio station FM. 96.3 classis music. The MP says, “Beautiful music in the crazy world. Relax, refresh, recharge.” Music is really beautiful in the crazy world. It can offer relaxation and rest to some degree. But here Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Who is this Jesus? He is the Son of God, to whom the Father, Lord of heaven and earth, committed all things. All things are in his control. Having all things in his control he himself is full of peace. On one occasion he could even sleep peacefully in the stormy sea. He is indeed the giver of peace and rest. He can give rest to anyone who comes to him in any life conditions. Jesus invites all people to himself for rest. But his invitation does not stop there. Look at verse 29. “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me...” Now Jesus invites them to take his yoke. Yoke is a wooden frame which fits around the neck of two work animals to fasten them together for pulling a plough or vehicle. Deuteronomy 22:10 says, “Do not plow with an ox and donkey yoked together.” In the Old Testament the word “yoke” is used to describe the oppression from cruel nations, like the yoke of Egyptians (Ex 6:7) and yoke of the king of Babylon (Jr 27:11,12). Jeremiah 28:14 says, “ “This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I will put an iron yoke on the necks of all these nations to make them serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, …” In the New Testament Paul used the word to describe the state of slavery, as in Galatians 5:1, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” So in the Bible the word “yoke” does not seem to convey a good meaning. But the meaning became totally different when Jesus used it, saying, “my yoke” like the word “cross.” Life is in any way to take a certain form of yoke. Jesus said, “Take my yoke upon you.” Some may ask, “Should I take double yokes, my yoke and Jesus’ yoke upon myself?” Jesus’ saying does not mean it. It is a spiritual mystery that when I take Jesus’ yoke, my heavy yoke is gone. It is replacement not addition. This is the reason Jesus said, “Take my yoke,” different from saying, “Take your cross.” It is like Jesus’ promise, “Do not worry about your life…Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you…” (Mt 6:35-33). He called his disciples, saying, “Come, follow me and I will make you fishers of men” (Mt 4:19). To take Jesus’ yoke means to receive his calling and live a life of mission, following Jesus. He said, “Take my yoke and learn from me.” He went on to say, “…for I am gentle and humble in heart.” It is truly amazing. People can be humble when they are in a poor human condition. But with wealth, position, and power, it is hard for them to be humble. Their hearts easily become proud. As for Jesus, all things were entrusted to him by his Father in heaven. Yet, he is gentle and humble in heart. That means he is truly gentle and humble. In Matthew’s gospel he was so humble that he was baptized by John. He called Galilean fishermen as his disciples. He is the true King, but he identifies himself as one of the least of his brothers. Matthew 25:40 says, “The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine you did for me.’” Apostle Paul described Jesus’ humbleness this way in Philippians 2:6-8, “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God some thing to be grasped, but made himself noting, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!” Now what a truthful statement it is “…learn from me…and your will find rest for your souls”! Jesus finally said, “For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” The yoke Jesus gives is the expression of his love. It comes from heart-heart relationship. So Jesus said, “...my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” The word “easy” is in Greek chrestos, which can mean well-fitting, fit, fit for use. The yoke was originally a tailor-made to fit the ox. Jesus’ yoke is very personal and fit to each person. Of course, “fit task” does not mean “easy task” like a piece of cake. From time to time it requires a tearful struggle. But when a work is fit to us and done out of heart, the work becomes easy and the heavy work becomes light. And the Lord Jesus is willing to take the yoke together with us. We thank God for the Father and his Son Jesus who were revealed to us Thank God for the Son Jesus’ invitation, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” May Jesus’ words be in our hearts and lives and may we share these words of life with others so that they can also find rest for their souls in Jesus.

---